News

DAB+ coverage in the Netherlands is increasing and stations are steadily growing more than those on FM. More manufacturers are developing digital radio receivers and we look at four of the best DAB+ hi-fis available on the market.

More and more broadcasters are using DAB to expand their coverage across Europe. After expanding to Berlin, UK broadcaster Panjab Radio has launched its service on DAB+ in Oslo and Akershus, Norway.

Independent research has shown that Express FM now attracts 20% more listeners. The radio station recently launched on DAB digital radio, increasing its coverage area to better serve listeners in the local area.

It has been announced by the Ministry of Culture that the national commercial Multiplex (MUX1) is going to be owned and run by a network operator on the expectation that the operator will act as a gatekeeper, developing the radio market and increasing the number of commercial DAB stations.

According to a new TNS Gallup survey there is a digital transformation in radio listening habits. Good sound and more channels are what listeners appreciate most with DAB radio.

A further 7% of all new cars had digital radio available as an option, taking the total proportion of new cars available with digital radio in Q4 2015 to nearly 90%.

Public broadcaster WDR is working on a new digital station for listeners over 70 which they believe will increase the current DAB+ offering.

Data from industry analysts CAP and The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) for the final quarter of 2015 shows that the percentage of new cars sold that were fitted with digital radio as standard grew to 80.1%, compared to 7.5% five years ago and 61.2% year-on-year. This is the second biggest quarterly increase since monitoring began in 2010.

A year before the shutdown of FM stations in Norway, Bauer Media’s Kiss and Radio Rock stations have switched off their FM stations and are now exclusively available on DAB+ or the Internet. Bauer Media says the decision to shut off the FM broadcasts of both stations was to accelerate the digitisation process.

Slovenia's Agency for Communications Networks and Services (Akos) has issued a decision on the allocation of radio frequencies for the DAB+ multiplex R1. Public broadcaster RTV Slovenija and its transmission unit Oddajniki in zveze will be responsible for managing the DAB+ network.